What was lost has now been found
As part of a very limited and very special release from California's finest, we have the Fender Custom Shop Limited Edition Brad Paisley 1967 "Lost Paisley" Telecaster. The "Lost Paisley," a true labor of love from the Custom Shop and one of modern country's most prolific players, captures a distinct moment in time for Fender. The late '60s was quite a time. To vouch for that fact, we have this historically inspired model from the Fender Custom Shop alluding to one unique summer.
Shop the FCS "Lost Paisley" Telecaster
In 1968, Fender came forth with new Paisley Red and Blue Flower finish options for the Telecaster. This aesthetic choice came at a very particular time in American history as the bright colors and sounds of the "Summer of Love" proliferated throughout the entire country's cultural conscious. These guitars were decorated with a specialized Cling-Foil paper and a matching metallic burst finish. Combining the brightness of the wrap with the brightness of the burst, these Teles dazzled with colors that could not be missed.
It wasn't all daisies for these particular models, though. A confluence of finicky paper, weak adhesives, polyester clear coats and the inevitable wear of time would cause these finishes to flake and wear down. Many of the guitars of this era would be refinished or repainted, covering the originals' paisley patterns. Fender's paisley Telecasters would be discontinued in 1969, closing the book on a unique chapter of Fender and American history.
Across the six decades the followed, original Fender paisley guitars would appear in various secondhand markets and eventually garnered something of a cult following. Among the followers of these late-sixties models was one of modern country's brightest stars, Brad Paisley. Striking upon truly unique serendipity, Paisley's affinity for Fender Telecasters would converge with a personal gift of original sixties Cling-Foil paper. With a gift like that and a name like Paisley, there's only one thing to do that makes sense.
The Fender Custom Shop Limited Edition 1967 "Lost Paisley" Telecaster is as close to a new original as you can get. Designed in collaboration with Paisley, the luthiers at the Fender Custom Shop have assembled a fresh line of Paisley Blue Telecasters that are true sixties models in everything but time. Paisley's contribution to these models, the original sixties Cling-Foil paper, has been replicated to capture the unique look and feel of Fender's first Paisley Reds and Flower Blues.
Replicated vintage paper isn't the only thing to make this model a thrill, rest assured. This Telecaster comes together with a host of unique materials and specifications to really set it apart from the pack. An alder body starts this all out. In addition to this classic Fender tonewood pick, this Tele also features paulownia wings and a spruce top and back, producing a distinctly resonant and unique tonal profile off the bat. This continues on with a maple neck shaped in a Custom '60s Oval "C" Shape profile which captures a vintage-inspired grip in hand. The neck's fingerboard fills out with a 7.25" radius, matching a rounded feel on the fingers with the rounded feel in the palm. Narrow Tall fret wire and a bone nut offer an easy stringing and fretting experience.
Onboard, the Custom Shop loaded in two Seymour Duncan Custom Shop Hand-Wound "Lost Paisley" Telecaster pickups. Modern Tele wiring meets with these custom pickups' vintage-inspired twang and snap, balancing modern and vintage sensibilities. A '67 Telecaster bridge and vintage-style tuning machines ground strings while a Glaser "G" Bender system offers up extra string adjustment opportunities. This limited edition Fender Custom Shop comes with an included Deluxe hardshell case, a period-correct Fender strap and a certificate of authenticity. Only sixty-seven of these models exist worldwide.
As a tribute to Fender’s aesthetic contribution to the Summer of Love, we have the “Lost Paisley” Tele. With another summer just around the corner, this Tele arrives just in time.
